Garba Ahmed, Kaduna

The 19 Northern State Governors’ Forum (NSGF) has constituted a high-powered committee headed by Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal.

Members of the committee are governors of Nasarawa, Gombe, Benue, Bauchi, and Kaduna State, alongside Emirs of Kano, Zazzau, Gummi, Etsu Nupe and Gbong Gwom Jos.

The Deputy Governor of Plateau State is to serve as Secretary of the committee.

A communique read by Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari, on behalf of the forum's Chairman and Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima at the end of a two-day meeting in Kaduna on Friday, said the committee is to collate views and comments on the state-of-the-nation with specific reference to the agitations for restructuring of the country which, according to the governors, “has assumed different meanings to different people.”

They urged the Federal Government to urgently ensure the reconstitution of the Federal Character Commission, the Federal Civil Service Commission and the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission to enable them discharge their constitutional responsibilities. “Failure to do so has so far resulted in lopsided appointments,” the group alleged.

The forum observed that the clashes between farmers and cattle rearers got worsened by the infiltration of criminal elements from outside the region posed as Fulani herdsmen to engage in deadly conflicts to create disunity and crisis in the North.

They advised people to stop ethicising the deadly conflicts and crimes with the Fulani tribe.

The forum called for more grazing reserves and provision of adequate infrastructure in such reserves by way of addressing the needs of cattle rearers and those of their animals before the enactment of the appropriate legislation which, according to them, “will also ameliorate the challenges."

“The escalating clashes between farmers and cattle rearers due to lack of enforcement of security is alarming.

“The situation is worsened by the infiltration of criminal elements from outside the region who posed as Fulani herdsmen and deliberately engage farmers in deadly conflicts to create disunity and unnecessary crisis in the region.

“The forum therefore discourages ethicising the deadly conflicts and crimes with the Fulani tribe as any other could be cattle rearers too.”

They, however, condemned in strong terms the recent attacks in Taraba, Kajuru, Kaduna and Borno States.

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